The Hamburg Arena, like so many stadia in Germany, was reconstructed around the turn of the century and, renamed the AOL Arena, opened in time to host a Germany v Greece international in September 2000.
The stands were completely rebuilt on the site of the famous old ground in the western suburbs of Hamburg, while the pitch was spun round 90 degrees.
The new ground creates an outstanding, intimate atmosphere with one end open for standing supporters, while seated fans get a close-up view of the action.
Refreshments are generous and cheap by British standards, with numerous stalls dispensing not only the ubiquitous sausages and lager, but tasty sandwiches and rolls as well. They’ll only set you back €3.
It is expected to accommodate in excess of 50,000 fans for four group matches and a quarter final match.
Hamburg match schedule:
June 10: Group C - Argentina v Ivory Coast
June 15: Group A - Costa Rica v Ecuador
June 19: Group H - Saudi Arabia v Ukraine
June 22: Group E - Czech Republic v Italy
June 30: Winner Group D v Runner-up Group C
From the Hauptbahnhof, the main station in the centre of town, take the S-Bahn (S21 or S3) to Elbgaustrasse; from there, it’s a two-minute walk.
Alternatively, get off at Stellingen and take one of the regular shuttle buses to the stadium.
